These pads are surely one of those revolutionary products that come by every few years and change the course of detailing for the better.  As the description below states, the NanoSkin AutoScrub foam pads are a great alternative to traditional decontamination techniques in terms of speed and performance.

“NanoSkin AutoScrub Foam Pad will leave you speechless with how well it cleans your exterior in so little time, replacing the need for a clay bar. The new advanced rubber polymer technology removes paint over spray, light water marks, tree sap, rail dust, road grime and other extra stubborn surface contaminants safely and easily. Simply attach the pad to a dual action orbital buffer with a hook and loop backing, spray on a copious amount of the NanoSkin Glide, and start working it in on speeds 1 – 2. You will be amazed at how AutoScrub removes contaminants from the surface in so little time. The advanced rubber polymers safely separate the contaminants bonded to the exterior. You can use this on not only the paint, but the glass, moldings, and plastics. If you ever drop Autoscrub, no worries, it is also a breeze to clean unlike a traditional clay bar. If you ever drop it on the ground, or are simply done with an application, just rinse the pad clean with water and its ready to be used again! You can get about 30 or more applications out of one pad before you need to replace it! There is no need to spend 1 – 3+ hours with a clay bar anymore, with the NANOSKIN AutoScrub Foam Pad get the job done in 15 – 45 minutes! Very simply this is the most effective way to deep clean your paint in a very short period of time.Please note this unit should not be used with a rotary buffer. If you would like to skip using a buffer all together and work with these pads by hand, try using the 6.5″ pads with the DI Accessories Hand Strap.The Medium Pads are best used for heavy build ups and the Fine Pads are best for well maintained vehicles.”

First off, I would encourage everyone to read Greg Gellas’s NanoSkin AutoScrub pads article.  He explains very well on how to initially prep the product for use and how well it works on all kinds of contamination.  I only intend to share the few things I’ve come to learn and like about these pads over time.

Simply put, they are a must have.  In addition to removing contamination quickly and effectively, these pads are extremely easy to use.  They can also be used by hand or machine and the different sizes are great for getting in all the tight spaces around a car.  That said, I will simply list some things that I have encountered using the pads and end the article with some photos related to using the pads on a black Tesla paint.

Few things worth mentioning

• Break-in is extremely important with these pads, because you can cause marring on even pretty hard paints if the instructions aren’t followed for the initial break-in process.
• Break-in is best done by machine as it’s quicker and not tiring on your hands/arms.
• Working by hand is much easier, safer and faster than by machine, at least from my experience.  Reason being, I feel that I can use the pads much quicker by hand by quickly covering a larger area of the panel, whereas by machine I have to go slower and cover only the 4 or 6 inches at a time, depending on the pad I’m using.  I feel it’s safer by hand because I can easily control how much pressure to use and how quickly to move my hand, as opposed to using too much pressure by the machine or having to work harder lifting the machine that may be too heavy on the upper surfaces like hoods or trunks.  I mainly use the 6 inch fine pads by hand and 4 inch on tighter areas, such as around fog lights, license plates, etc.
• Little to no pressure works best, especially on cars that aren’t heavily contaminated with sap, tar, etc. rather just have typical particles stuck on the paint from not washing or waxing often enough.
• Rinsing the pad often (I like to do it after roughly a hood-sized panel, or 2 fenders, etc.) helps greatly with minimizing or eliminating any pad related swirl marks and marring.
• I have found the fine grade pads to be best for general use as they typically don’t cause much/any marring unless used on very soft paint

Pros

• Very easy to use
• Very efficient compared to using a clay bar.
• Reusable and pretty darn resilient to damage.  I’ve used it over some very stubborn, dried-up tar and it took some very aggressive pressure with little to no lube to only slightly damage the material.
• Performance is top notch.  It quickly removes embedded contaminants with just a few wipes over the surface.  I normally spray down the surface and simply wipe back and forth once to remove most or all of the contamination.  This obviously varies from car to car, but it works very well, very quickly.
• Versatile in that they can be used by hand or by machine.  Also, the different pad sizes help greatly when working with different areas of a car.

Cons

• I don’t know if I actually consider this a negative, but these pads don’t replace clay bar 100%.  I would say probably 80-90% whereas on the remaining 10-20% of the car a clay bar is necessary to remove some stubborn tar, sap and contamination from bumpers and lower panels.  It’s worth noting that these pads will in fact many times remove this remaining 10-20%, but it takes a good while and you might end up damaging the pad.
• Sometimes the pad will leave streaks of “gunk” on the paint if it hasn’t been cleaned or if too much pressure is used on edges or in only one spot on the pad, such as pressing down hard with just one finger while wiping it back and forth.  This usually wipes off easily or comes off with some extra lube and wiping, but it’s worth noting.
• Leaves marring on pretty much all soft paints when used with even a little pressure, but this can be controlled pretty well and the marring be reduced to a minimum.  Plus, any marring is equal to or less than marring caused by a clay bar of similar aggressiveness.

Aside from those few cons, if you can call it that, I have simply replaced majority of clay bar work with these wonderful products.  Below are a few photos of what kind of marring can be caused on some very soft paint, but even though it looks extremely bad, it’s usually very minor, shallow marring that can easily be polished.  Plus, it pretty much only occurs this badly on extremely soft black paint.  I am only posting these photos so new users are aware of what’s causing the marring and not to be too alarmed if they do see it as it’s fairly normal.

Here’s a photo of the trunk on a black Tesla S model…

Here it is with the Brinkmann LED spotlight showing the condition before any decontamination (this is just after washing)…

Some “autoscrubbing”/”padding” action (If anyone has a good name for the process of using these pads aside from “decontamination” definitely let me know, as I still don’t know what to call it )

You can already see the marring just with the regular lights above…

It’s really obvious with the spotlight shining…

Finally a closeup image of the marring present after the autoscrub pad was used…

In the case above, I used a 6″ fine pad with the recommended NanoSkin Glide lubricant and no pressure.  To minimize the marring, I usually use slower arm movement, work on smaller sections and obviously more lube.  If I’m doing any sort of corrective polishing after, I don’t mind the marring too much as it’s very light and superficial, so it’s normally corrected easily even with a finishing pad and polish.

Lastly, here’s a shot of some of the pads I own.  You’ll notice in the photo the difference between the used pad (9 o’clock) and the other three, which are either new or barely used.  The material will get softer after the initial break-in period and look a bit darker due to the coating coming off, so you’ll definitely want to properly break-in each and every pad.

Hope this helps some of the new users out there.  Thanks for reading!

Recently we ran a contest on our Facebook page, giving away a few of the 30ml bottles of the 22ple Signature Glass Coating for free! The only thing we asked for, was for whoever won this contest to write us a review on their experience with this product. One review in particular was outstanding and we felt it was worth sharing with everyone here on the Ask-A-Pro Blog. Please take a minute to read the product review below which includes some incredible photos from Detailed Image customer Marcos Barajas!

The only thing I enjoy more than auto detailing is enjoying the car’s themselves. I enjoy testing newer products, especially coatings. Once reading reviews, out of curiosity I ordered 22PLE VX1 Pro Glass coating for my very own personal car. Thanks to the recent Detailed Image contest, I was going to be applying 22PLE VX1 Signature Glass coating  to another vehicle. The hard part was identifying a worthy candidate, and being a car lover surrounded by many the choice was an already immaculate 2008 SuperBee owned by my good friend Mark S.

The paint on the vehicle was B5 Blue, a Pearl throwback to Petty Blue. This car is garage kept, weekend driven, track proven, and rarely encounters rain. Upon inspection there was only very light marring, a few very minor scratches, and of course paint contamination, but overall very good. After a thorough wash, we clayed the vehicle head to toe. With having a much smoother finish after the clay it was time to polish. Most of the Car was polished using Menzerna PF 2500, while a few problem areas and spot corrections were done using Menzerna FG 400. We used a mixture of Lake Country 6 inch pads, and 3 inch pads for the tighter spots using a Griot’s Garage Polisher. After inspecting the paint once more under Halogen work lights both the owner and I were satisfied with a beautiful corrected finish. We couldn’t wait to lock it in with 22PLE. We were both nervous, especially Mark, as this would be his first time experiencing a silica coating, different from any other LSP he has encountered. We washed once more using CG Wash and Clear to help strip the polishing oils, and after that we wiped the car down twice with a 50/50 mix of Alcohol and Distilled water. The Car was now ready for some Gloss, or should I say Glass!

For application we used micro-suede towels wrapped around a foam core to ensure we did not waste any product. Being a light colored car we could barely notice the coating going on, so we used the Halogen work lamps to help. Being in Texas, and under hot lamps, we decided 3 1/2 minutes would be ideal to let the product sit before removal. We found the product to be very forgiving and a breeze to use. We went over all the flat black vinyl as well. It gave the vinyl a slight darker appearance but gave it a better constant matte finish. For wiping off we used two short nap, yet soft microfiber towels to cut down on any would be shedding, one to get the initial product off and the other to follow up.

During the application and more so afterwords we were both amazed of the glass like finish 22PLE VX1 was presenting. In Mark’s words, “It looks Wet!” Indeed it did. Having a claimed life of 18-24 months and the ability to protect the surface from future contaminants, coupled with the ease of VX1 is a no brainer on whether it’s worth it. We took the car out of the garage two days after the coating was applied and it looked as though the gloss intensified, and appeared as it was encased in a glass shell. We did a quick demo of pouring a glass of water down the door only to see the water disappear onto the floor. We both had a big smile seeing the results of the hydrophobic properties. What more can I say about 22PLE VX1 Signature Glass coating, it has to be one of the glossiest products I’ve experienced, it offers some of the best protection out there, and at 18-24 months it’s a bargain!

Let Marcos know what you think of his review below and thank you as always for reading!

Todd Cooperider of Esoteric Auto Detail has paired up with POLISHANGEL of Germany to design, develop, and manufacture this amazing liquid wax. Esoteric Signature Series Wax was designed around four key attributes: brilliance, durability, ease of use, and value. A key feature of this wax is just how easy it is to apply. There is virtually no learning curve while applying this wax and the unique development process has helped ensure that regardless of conditions (i.e. weather, humidity, etc.), there will be a minimal chance that the wax will ever streak or haze. Simply apply 2 or 3 small drops to your favorite applicator pad and apply a thin layer to the surface of your car. You can even apply it via a dual action buffer (no rotary), just use a blue pad on a slow speed (1-2). In general, on most daily drivers carnauba waxes will only offer a few weeks of protection, with Signature Series you will receive 4-6 months of sealant like protection! There is no need to spend hundreds of dollars on a high end carnauba wax when Esoteric Signature Series Wax will offer you brilliance, durability, and ease of use at a greater value. Another added bonus is that this wax was designed so that it will bond to the 22ple Glass Coatings! So if you are looking for professional results pick up the wax that was designed by a professional detailer who aspires for perfection in everything he does.

Here’s another product where I feel my review is slightly redundant, as the description above perfectly explains the wax in question.  Knowing Todd since his early days in detailing, it was always obvious that he was one of the very few detailers out there with an extremely meticulous eye and drive for perfection.  When I heard that he was working on manufacturing a wax that will bear his name, I immediately knew this was going to be something to beat whatever is on the market in terms of value.  I was right.  To repeat the text above, the Esoteric Signature Series Wax (ESS Wax) is extremely easy to apply, looks amazing on any color paint, lasts at least 2-4 months under moderate conditions and is the best bang for the buck of the higher end waxes out there.   Just off the top of my head, comparing it to Pinnacle Souveran, which I use on a regular basis, the Esoteric wax provides the same or better great looks and way better durability for only $30 more.  Not to put down Souveran, or paint sealants like Blackfire Wet Diamond, which I also use on a regular basis for its great looks and durability and ones I will keep using, but the Esoteric wax has an overall value that’s hard to beat in this price range, providing both great looks and amazing durability.  I obviously did quite a bit of experimenting before coming to these conclusions (yes Todd I did trust you when you told me all this, but I had to try it out myself ), so as with all my other reviews on paint protection products, I was focused on testing the ease of use, durability and looks of the Esoteric Signature Series Wax.

Application & Removal:

Unlike other waxes and sealants, the ESS wax is a bit odd in terms of it’s consistency and application.  It feels like a melted paste wax when coming out of the bottle and it spreads like it as well.  This is surely not a bad thing, just something I noticed right off the bat.  Working with it while applying also gives the feel of working with a carnauba wax because you have to slowly apply it to a small section until the applicator pad is saturated.  When the pad is saturated enough, which happens after roughly half a hood, you can make longer strokes and apply it to the paint much quicker.  In other words, it feels like a carnauba wax in terms of initial application.  However, curing, removing and protecting is very similar to any quality sealant out there.  It takes about 20 minutes to cure, after which removal is a breeze.  In the photos below, I’ve shown that after just one wipe back and forth, the residue is usually all gone and you’re left with a shiny protected surface.  There is no need for any “buffing” with pressure or worrying about leaving an oily surface.  Little definitely goes a long way with this one, so if it’s properly applied it’ll be extremely easy to remove.

Durability:

Durability is great for something that gives off the look of a carnauba wax.  I’ve seen it last about 3-3.5 months in a harsh Chicago winter with a single application and expect it to surely go the expected 4-6 months and more in nicer weather.  One of my favorite things about this wax is the fact that it requires no additional wax afterward for “looks”.  For those who like the durability of a sealant this product requires no sealant application before hand.  It’s simply the best of both worlds in one little package.

Looks:

The ESS Wax is definitely one of my favorite in terms of looks.  It gives a brilliant shine and deep, wet look on any color of paint.  Having used it on some paints in desperate need of a proper polishing, I was pretty happy with the difference in depth and clarity provided by only using the wax.  Another great thing I noticed is the rich look it provides on metallic paints, making the flake really pop.

Final Thoughts:

Definitely something I’d recommend as a high end wax for special occasions or certain detail jobs.  I use it regularly and also like to use it as a topper to 22PLE coatings on some vehicles that get some more involved detailing work.  As I said above, the ease of use and durability make this a real winner, but combined with its great looks it becomes on of the best products out there for paint protection.

Quick How-To:

I normally use a yellow foam applicator pad, but the red appplicator also works great, especially on soft or sensitive paint.

I start with only 2-3 small drops and decrease to 1-2 drops as I go around the car and the pad gets saturated.

Before applying the wax, I like to dab it over the panel so as to spread it out better, as seen in the upper right side of the photo below.

Then just spread out in slightly overlapped strokes and make sure it goes on even and thin.

You’ll notice the residue slightly change from when first applied…

To when it starts curing and becomes ready for removal…

As mentioned above, just a stroke or two with a microfiber towel removes all or most of the residue…

So only a few towels are required to remove the residue from the entire vehicle.

Some after shots of the wax on a black Mercedes I corrected…

This was done on a COLD winter day, so I was able to snap about 10 photos before my fingers froze and I had to go back inside!  Gotta love Chicago .

Hope you enjoyed the write up and photos.

AAP Blog Post Of The Month!

Find out how Ivan Rajic of LUSTR Auto Detail (Chicago, IL) corrects the paint and preps the clear bra on this amazing black Lamborghini Murcielago SV!

Detailing Industry News!

Have you ever spilled anything in your car and wish you had a vacuum to clean it up? Well your wish could soon come true! detriotnews.com has a great article about the world’s first built in vacuum cleaner!

Find out why evotuning believes that the Sonax Brilliant Shine Detailer is a breakthrough product on the detailing market! detailingworld.co.uk

Find out how Richard Grasa, a registered user on autopia.org, details this Subaru BRZ!

Look at that amazing reflection! Find out how Richard. brings out the best in this 2012 VW Polo! detailingworld.co.uk

New Detailed Image Products!

We have been busy this past month here at Detailed Image, to the tune of 38 new products!

We are excited to have added 3M to our product line and you can find some of the products we picked up below:

3M Automotive Performance Masking Tape – This tape will allow you to properly protect paint, trim, emblems, lights, adjacent panels and more when using a buffer. It will instantly stick on the surface and release without any residue left behind!

3M Glass Cleaner – This is an easy-to-use, quick acting, non-streaking aerosol glass cleaner! It removes surface contamination with ease and doesn’t leave behind any streaks!

For a complete listing of the 3M products we picked up visit the 3M product page!

Meguiar’s Foam Finishing Disc’s – These ultra fine sanding pads are very user friendly as they help quickly remove blemishes with little effort and bare minimal haze, if any at all. When Meguiar’s visited us last month they demoed these disc’s and they blew us away.  If you have deep imperfections that you want to remove with ease, then these disc’s are the product you are looking for!

Sonax Perfect Finish – This outstanding polish was designed to finish down your paint, removing haze and leaving behind an ultra smooth finish at the microscopic level. You can use this product after more aggressive polishing to help remove any surface haze, light imperfections, etc. You can even use Perfect Finish as a great one step polish! It will provide enough correction to remove light to medium imperfections, a level of finish that puts it in elite company, and doing all of this in an amazing amount of time.

DI Accessories Foam Lance – This Foam Lance will allow you to spray a layer of foamy shampoo on your vehicle’s exterior when attached to your pressure washer! Just pour any shampoo in the reservoir, connect to a pressure washer and start spraying foam on the exterior. The light and fluffy shampoo mix will produce a thick coating of foam that stays on the exterior and doesn’t run off!

For a complete listing of all of our new products visit our New Products page!

Detailed Image News!

On 4/21 we were extremely excited to unveil our new DetailedImage.com website. Our goal is to provide you with the simplest, fastest, and most secure shopping experience in the industry!

Some of the new features of the new site are:

New Design: With new elements of modern web design and familiar navigation keys from the old site (navigation on the left, search box up top, My Account and Cart information in the header) we hope to have achieved a balance that everyone can enjoy!

One Site – All of Your Devices: We utilized a fairly new web design technique called responsive web design to ensure that the new Detailed Image works great on your large monitor, your laptop, your tablet, your phone, and any other device you use.

Search Engines: Now when you search the Store, Detailing Guide, or Ask-A-Pro Blog, you will be able to use a lightning quick search engine that includes helpful auto-complete suggestions! We hope that this feature will allow you to find exactly what you are looking for much quicker.

New Product Photos: No more grey background! We incorporated brand new photos for each of our 800+ products with a crisp and clean white background!

Product Labels and Downloads: Many products now have a “From The Label” section that includes information and instructions right from the label. Now you do not need to have the product in front of you to see exactly what is on the label! We also have added a “Product Downloads” section where you can download instruction manuals for tools like buffers, vacuums, and flashlights!

Verified Product Reviews: We have added a “DI Verified Purchase” badge to any review where we can verify that the reviewer purchased the product being reviewed directly from Detailed Image!

Speed improvements: We’ve optimized the new DI to be blazing fast no matter what device you’re using!

A more streamlined checkout process: We’ve redesigned our checkout process to make it simpler and faster to checkout without missing any critical information about your order!

We added a new Free Stuff category with more free packages with certain minimum spends!

No more weight limit – How is that for music to your ears? Now, instead of forcing you to place multiple orders when you have more than 60 lbs in products you would like to order, we will break it up for you! Our system now intelligently splits your order up into multiple boxes automatically. Check out with as many products as you like in one single order and our site will take care of the rest!

Check out the new design and see a complete list of new features and changes in our recent blog post, “Welcome To The New Detailed Image!“.

Photo Of The Month!

Zach McGovern of Attention To Detailing with another beautiful shot! This 2001 Porsche was corrected with Menzerna PF2500 via the Rupes LHR21ES and coated with 22ple VX1 Pro Coating. You can also check out more pictures of this detail, and others, on his Facebook page!

If you have any great detailing photos that you would like to share send them our way! The Detailed Image Facebook page is always open to viewing amazing detailing pictures from our customers!

Automotive Industry News!

The Bugatti Veyron was reinstated by Guinness as “world’s fastest production car”! autos.yahoo.com

Wish the technology in your car was made specifically for your iPhone? Well, the Volkswagen iBeetle may be exactly what you are looking for!

Is this gadget made by Hyundai the future of mobility!? autos.yahoo.com

Any truck fans out there? Check out these 10 “rare and rowdy special edition trucks” on popularmechanics.com!

Upcoming Events!

The Detailing Pros 2nd Annual Car Care Expo – July 12th – 14th

Industry leading vendors, manufactures, and suppliers will be showing everything new and innovative for the 2013 detailing and car care season! For more information and to register please visit thedetailingpros.com!

Thanks for reading and if you like this article check out the Detailing Enthusiasts Monthly April Edition!

The Optimum Car Wax is sprayed on your paint to quickly add a deep gloss to the surface and valuable protection. Spray it directly on your paint or on an applicator pad and wipe it on the desired areas, then buff off the excess residue. You’ll quickly be impressed with depth and gloss of this wax that applies and removes with ease. In about 15 minutes you can make your entire car look like you just spent all day detailing it. It’s also an environmentally friendly product that has no VOC’s or harsh chemicals. Using a combination of carnauba wax, polymers and other key ingredients you’ll get one of the most well rounded waxes you have ever used. The Optimum Car Wax provides outstanding protection against UV rays, industrial fallout, road grime, moisture, etc. Expect 1 – 2 months of added protection under normal conditions for a daily driver. You can use the Optimum Car Wax just after washing for a quick touch up or after completing a full detail as that perfect last step.

Optimum Car Wax is something I stumbled upon sometime late 2011.  I was looking for a product that provided quick but effective protection to use on my daily driven work vehicle.  I was aware of its existence for a while before then, but I normally dismissed it, as I did all spray waxes as a waste of time and money because they provided at best a couple weeks of protection.  The looks were also nothing to write home about.  So naturally, I never gave it a second look when I saw it online years ago.  Going back to late 2011 though, I started again searching for something that was more of a “spray sealant” rather than a spray wax, which would hopefully provide me with the durability I was after.  Now don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t looking for 2-3 months of protection nor did I expect it from a spray-on product, but I did want at least 1 month, maybe going into 2, so I can use it between sealing my car every 3 months or so.  Once I started reading a bit more about what was available, I started looking more and more into the Optimum Car Wax.  Its claims of 5+ months of durability and the polymer makeup had me intrigued so I had to give it a shot.

Needless to say, I was quite impressed by it.  First off, it is extremely easy to apply this wax.  I normally spray a microfiber towel once or twice, then a spray or two on the paint, and wipe it on to apply.  In my article on How I Use a MF Towel, I explain how I fold the towel and use the different sides for polish/wax residue removal.  In the case of Optimum Spray Wax, I follow that same folding technique and it allows me to use only 1 towel, 2 at most, to apply the wax to an entire average sized vehicle.  By using the one side as a “damp” side and the other as “dry”, I wipe in the wax onto the paint with the damp side until it disappears and I can no longer see it under normal lighting conditions, then I wipe that same section with the dry side to ensure all the oily residue is gone and all that’s left is a waxed finish.  This allows me to go around the car fairly quickly and use only 1-2 towels.

Another great thing about the Optimum Car Wax is that it provides a great look on any color or condition of paint.  I use it regularly on some clients’ cars that just want a quick wax applied for protection, in which case it improves the paint color and depth.  On polished vehicles this wax provides a great additional shine along with the protection.  Durability is anywhere from 3-5 weeks on the low end in poor, winter conditions and upwards of 2 months during spring and better weather.  It’s definitely more than I could ask for from a spray wax that is easy to apply, remove and provides great looks.

To bring this to a close, I definitely found exactly what I was looking for in this case.  The easy application and great looks were a huge plus, but most importantly I found the durability of a spray wax I was looking for in the first place.  I now use it regularly on my own car and some clients’ vehicles that I see monthly to provide additional protection in between applying a more durable sealant.  It’s also great for a quick wax job on motorcycles, which I normally do on my Yamaha every 2-4 weeks.

I highly recommend the Optimum Car Wax for anyone that’s in the situation I was in originally, looking for a quick wax job and good protection.

Our warehouse manager, Charlie, attempted to highlight the best smelling detailing products (Top Smelling Detailing Products). While he did do a great job mentioning a few of my favorites (Chemical Guys Bare Bones, Sour Power Gloss Enhancing Shampoo, and Chemical Guys Lava Wax), he missed some that I really enjoy. These products smell so great that you will forget that you are working with detailing products and you might have to hold off from eating them! Please don’t eat the detailing products!

One of our most popular wheel sealants is the Poorboy’s World Wheel Sealant. This product smells just like one of my favorite gums ever, the Watermelon Big League Chew Bubble Gum. I’m not sure what it is, but the simple way the gum is shredded made emulating my favorite baseball players key to any of my little league baseball games. This scent is great, however I absolutely love the smell of the Bold ‘n Bright Tire Dressing. Do you like the smell of coconut? Well that’s the scent that is packed into this little bottle! It makes me feel like I’m beach-side relaxing while on vacation, and lets face it, everyone loves vacation. If coconut is not your thing, one of the most popular products Poorboy’s World offers is their Spray and Wipe. Now this one is hard to really explain. It has a light citrus scent, almost like kiwi-strawberry, but much smoother. Every time I use this product I’m amazed by how well I can remove contamination from my paint, while leaving behind this great scent.

Almost all of the Dodo Juice products smell really great, however one of my favorites has to be the Dodo Juice Blue Velvet. This wax has a nice smooth berry scent which reminds me of a mixed berry candy. This is a great hard wax that will really make your paint pop as well!

One of my favorite smelling products is the Chemical Guys Stripper Scent. Now this is an air freshener, so its supposed to smell good, however the smell is hard to put your finger on. It has a subtle tones of vanilla and a slight unmistakeable perfumey like odor. It’s a slightly feminine scent, however both men and women are sure to love this smell! Another great thing about this product is that it has natural enzymatic odor elimination properties. This allows you to not only make your car smell great, but eliminate and reduce recurring odor all together! One of our authors, Ivan Rajic, has his own product review of the Stripper Scent you can check out as well.

Continuing with the Chemical Guys line of products, the Chemical Guys V7 has an orange citrus smell with a little kick that is unmistakeable. It reminds me of growing up in the early 90′s sipping on a fresh cup of Tang! I really wonder why Tang still isn’t popular. Anyways, the Chemical Guys XXX Hard Core Paste Wax is another one he missed. This wax smells like baby powder. Now this may not be my favorite scent but I know that some people just can not get enough of it. Along with smelling pretty good this wax is one of our best “bang for you buck” waxes we carry. It is easy to apply and it will look great on any color paintwork.

This is an article about the BEST smelling detailing products, however there is one product that smells so bad it is worth mentioning, that product is the CarPro TRIX. This product is by far the WORST smelling product I have ever used, but it is still one of my “go tos”, as it works extremely well. You can quickly break down tar and iron deposits embedded in the exterior finish, however there is no mistaking that you are using a quality detailing product when you smell this one!

While scent doesn’t affect how a certain product performs, it is a nice bonus to work with something that smells great! Thank you for giving this article a read, hopefully it shed some light on some of our products here at Detailed Image!

I had the awesome opportunity to check out the 2013 New York International Auto Show at the Jacob K. Javits Center in New York City last week and it was a sweet experience for my first time. Every major car maker was there featuring their 2013, 2014, and concept cars. At the show I was able to take a lot of pictures that I’m excited to share with you in this post and highlight some of the cars that made a big splash at this year’s show.

Chevrolet

Chevrolet certainly made their presence known at this year’s show by showcasing the 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, the all new 2014 Chevrolet SS, and the track ready 500 horsepower V8 Camaro Z/28.

Concept Cars

At a show like the NY International Auto Show you know the big autos are going bring their A game and show off their new concept cars. The concept cars showcase new trends in design and technology which gives us all a look into the future. Now take a look into the future with the concept cars below.

World Debut of the Subaru WRX Concept

Ford Atlas Concept

Acura NSX Concept

Toyota Corolla Furla Concept

Other Highlights

Aston Martin

Dodge Viper SRT TA (Time Attack)

Bentley

All New 2014 Cadillac CTS

Rolls Royce

Wonder Woman Themed Kia Sportage – Also see other Kia Justice League cars from SEMA 2012

Jeep Off Road Course

Audi R8 V10 Plus

Limited Production Scion 10 Series FRS Silver Ignition

Mercedes-Benz B-Class Electric Drive

Porsche 911 50 Year Celebration

Chilling with Iron Man

Let’s Wrap Up with a Beautiful Model

If you have the opportunity to check out an auto show like this one in NYC I’d recommend it, especially if you’re in the market for a car or just love cars. I had a fantastic experience at the show and I hope you enjoyed the post and pictures.

At Detailed Image we are lucky to have the opportunity to experience some great things in the detailing industry. On Wednesday 3/24, Jaime Araya & Chiro Diaz, Meguiar’s Professional Products Trainers flew in from CA and Dan Yaworski Meguiar’s Professional Sales Representative drove seven hours to meet us. Their goal was to help enhance our knowledge of Meguiar’s products and optimize their usage with the use of a power point presentation and some product testing. Jaime, Chiro, and Dan are all truly passionate about the detailing industry and are highly experienced in the usage of many detailing products. Below are some of the key points we took away from their visit!

I will begin with one huge topic they covered multiple times, education! Detailing starts and ends with this. If you do not know what you are doing, or about the products you are using, you can not possibly do a good job. Education relates to us here at Detailed Image as well, the more we know the better we can be as a supplier.  This allows us to better help customers select the right products for their needs and optimize their purchase. Many of the products we carry were highlighted as some of their favorites and they gave us multiple tips on what they have learned using these products over many years.

Meguiar’s works hard as an organization to supply not only high quality detailing products, but products that work great together. These complete systems (i.e. matching a pad, backing plate and polish or concentrated cleaner with pre-labeled bottle for dilution) will allow you to safely and easily achieve optimal results with each and every detail. In the future I think you will see more products from Meguiar’s that are designed to work in conjunction with each other, along with more explicit information to help designate these types of systems.

While testing out their products, they highlighted how well M100 and M101 work with their Microfiber Cutting Disc. In only a few minutes we removed fine imperfections from the test hood. Even with this product combination working so well, they still wanted to test out the new Rupes LHR 21ES Polisher to see what all the craze was about. Lets just say that they were so impressed by the corrective power this buffer possesses that they took the one we used on the spot and had us ship them a few back to their headquarters later that day! These guys have decades of experience combined and they were literally giddy about the results and how little time it took.

There were a few products we liked so much that we decided to pick them up. The Meguiar’s Foam Finishing Discs lead this pack of new products. Simply attach them to a Meguiar’s Foam Sanding Interface, then to your buffer and you will be able to remove heavy imperfections with ease. These pads were highlighted in the testing on the hood and let me tell you, I was amazed at how fast deep scratches were removed, with little effort and minimal haze left behind! Check out our Meguiar’s page for a complete listing of what exact products we are expecting to have in stock over the next few weeks! I also can’t say specifics, however there are a few brand new amazing products that Meguiar’s is about to unveil. Again, I can not say much but we are extremely excited about these new products and we can not wait to get our hands on them!

We want to thank everyone from Meguiar’s for making this visit happen and for showing us some new products and detailing tips! We had a great time and Jamie, Chiro, and Dan made us feel like we had all been friends for years. Meguiar’s is a great organization that truly knows their stuff and we are excited to see what the future holds for them. Hopefully you enjoyed reading about our experience and if you have any questions please let us know!

This was by far one of my favorite detail jobs ever!  The client came to me looking to polish to perfection this gorgeous Murcielago SV before he wrapped the whole thing in paint protection film (clear bra).  He purchased it only a few weeks before the detail job was to be done and wanted to perfect and protect it ASAP.  The car was quite a mess when I first saw it, as you’ll see in the photos below.  In addition to the typical swirl marks on a black car, I had to remove the original film that was on the hood, fenders and front bumper.  Once that was removed, I was in for quite a surprise beneath, which I’ll explain a bit later in the article.  Overall there was nothing out of the ordinary in terms of dealing with odd paint issues, etc.  It was simply a lot of work consisting mainly of about 4-5 polishing stages over a course of 4 days.  While I’d love to write about how amazing this car was to work with and how great it looked after the work was done, I think the photos below will easily tell the story…

I started with the wheels and used P21S Gel Wheel Cleaner to fully clean them…

Meguiar’s All Purpose Cleaner Plus (D103) was sprayed on the wheel wells to break down some minor dirt…

Like with every other detail job, I used the full size EZ Detail Brush to reach the inside wheel surfaces…

The mini EZ Detail Brush, which I purposely bend specifically for this task, was used to clean behind the spokes…

I used the DI Boar’s Hair Detailing Brush to clean the spokes, wheel bolts and brake calipers…

Rinsing the wheels after everything was brushed clean…

I used Dodo Juice Born Slippy Clay Lube…

and a Clay Magic Fine Grade Clay Bar to remove some minor contamination that was on the Lambo…

After washing it (I didn’t get any photos of the wash process for some reason) I wanted to take a bit of a different before photo.  As you can see below, the paint looks glossy, reflective and like a mirror, but all because of the angle and lighting.

Here’s what it actually looked like…

This was below the paint protection film.  For some reason, the paint under the film was in much worse condition than the rest of the car.  I can only assume the car was either not detailed properly after the clear bra was already put on, or someone did a very bad polishing job on the areas where the clear bra was originally to be applied.  Either way, it wasn’t a pretty picture, to say the least.

Along with all the swirlmarks, there was a fairly deep and wide scratch on the hood.  I assume it happened during the clear bra installation where someone wiped the hood and didn’t really care for what was on it.

These are some photos of the rest of the car before any paint correction was done.  Roof…

Mirror…

Rear pillar…

Once again, the hood condition as I was removing the film…

And a photo of the hood inside using the Brinkmann LED Spotlight…

A little bit of taping…

And a lot of polishing…

Got us these results… Few before/after shots…

Outside photos after correction was done…

That horrible hood from before made a nice turnaround…

So did the fender…

Finally a few whole car photos in the back of my shop…

Ahh what a car!  Overall the paint improved to almost perfect condition before it was completely wrapped with paint protection film.  I have plenty more photos but figured I was posting too many anyway .  This car has since been sold and the client is currently a proud owner of a brand new Ferrari 458, which was also fully protected with paint protection film after some lighter polishing.

Some of the products used in the detail:
Flex XC 3401 VRG
Porter Cable 7424XP Random Orbital Buffer
Meguiar’s DA Microfiber Cutting Disc Buffing Pads
Lake Country Orange Light Cutting Pad
Lake Country Hydro Tech Crimson Ultra Fine Finishing Pad
Meguiar’s Ultra-Cut Compound M105
Meguiar’s DA Microfiber Correction Compound D300
Meguiar’s Ultra Finishing Polish M205
Menzerna Micro Polish SF 4500 (PO85RD)
Pinnacle Souveran Paste Wax

Thanks as always for reading and please feel free to leave any comments or questions below.

AAP Blog Post Of The Month!

Find out how Ivan Rajic of LUSTR Auto Detail (Chicago, IL) brings this beautiful Black Ferrari 430 back to life!

Detailing Industry News!

Ever shell out $50-$100 on wax and felt guilty that you may have spent just a little too much? Well find out how much the worlds most expensive wax costs in this article on autos.yahoo.com!

If you ever thought about making a swirl spotting lamp out of a drill, then this post is for you! Check out how this exact idea was done on detailingworld.co.uk!

Are you a beginner looking for helpful information to get started? Here is a great list of handbooks, articles, and DVDs that akimel put together on autopia.org!

Find out how Scottwax, a registered user on autopia.org, details the beautiful 2011 BMW 328 below!

The Black Series 2008 CLK63 AMG looks simply amazing. kakeuter details this beauty to perfection in this article on autopia.org!

New Detailed Image Products!

We just got three new products in from Optimum, the Opti-Glass Coating, Opti-Glass Clean & Protect Concentrate, and the Opti-Lens Coating!

The Opti-Glass Coating is designed to chemically bond to glass surfaces, forming a long lasting hydrophobic film. This film will help increase chip, scratch, and mar resistance, while protecting from water staining as well.

The Opti-Glass Clean & Protect Concentrate is designed to clean and protect glass with a simple application. The polymers will allow this product to bond to your glass and protect against contamination. You can use it by itself, or in combination with Opti-Glass Coating for maximum protection!

The Opti-Lens Coating is the prefect way to protect against those nasty yellow/hazy headlights! Once applied this product will cross-link to form a highly protective permanent film on the surface of your headlights. This film will protect against fading, yellowing, hazing, and contamination build up!

Looking for a quick and easy way to remove old protection from the paint? Look no further then the DI Accessories 70/30 Isopropyl Alcohol! Use it at the 70/30 ratio, or dilute it to 50/50 to safely and effectively break down and remove residue from the surface, preparing it for your next detailing step!

Last month we picked up the DI Accessories Plastic Razor Blades. This month we stepped up the removal power and added the DI Accessories Metal Razor Blades to our product line up! Grab one of these durable high carbon steel blades and performing any scraping, trimming, or cutting job will be easier then before!

Detailed Image News!

Every year our Spring promotion is one of the best sales we run. It really only rivals our Cyber Monday promotion in terms of orders shipped out. This year was huge for us, just check out the photo below of our orders from Monday 3/18! Thank you everyone for the continued support of DetailedImage.com and our products!

Photo Of The Month!

Zach McGovern of Attention To Detailing is becoming a regular in this category. It seems like every month he is sending us yet another great detailing photo! Look at the amazing correction he achieved using Menzerna FG400 and SF4500 on the Jet Black e46 M3 below. You can also check out more pictures of this detail on his Facebook page, or if you are ever in Peoria, Illinois stop by and treat your car with a proper detail!

Automotive Industry News!

Check out this amazing 1956 Ford Fairline that was captured by Michael Brannon at the Autos for Autism Classic Auto Show on autos.yahoo.com!

What do you think of the new SRT Viper TA below?

The Ford SVT Raptor is designed to be used for wild off-roading, but find out why its attributes make it perfect for the city life in this article on autos.yahoo.com!

autos.yahoo.com has a very interesting article on why smart keys, or key fobs, may be causing more harm then good!

Do we have any motorcycle fans reading this blog? Hey, they need to be detailed as well! Check out some of the highlighted bikes of the 2013 New York International Motorcycle Show on popularmechanics.com!

Thanks for reading and if you like this article check out the Detailing Enthusiasts Monthly March Edition!

In DJ’s Mayo’s 22PLE review he discusses the benefits of 22PLE. I am going to go over some of the specifics of applying it. After the proper prep work and an Alcohol wipe down, you can then begin to apply 22PLE, I use the Pro version.  Proper application is as follows: First, use a foam applicator in a crosshatch pattern. As you can see below, after the initial application of 22PLE there are high spots. These are created from going over the area more than once or just applying too much product. Those larger spots you see are the high spots, or rainbows as I have coined them.  They look like IPA on the surface but wont evaporate, as this is a coating.  They will need to be leveled using a Microfiber Towel. Simply use the weight of the towel and no pressure. You will find that at the end of your wiping strokes, whether it be on the same panel or the adjacent panel, there will tend to be leftover high spots that need to be re-leveled with the towel.

Pay special attention around emblems, door handles, and hard body lines. Often times these areas get excessive amounts of product, which can lead to areas that you miss leveling. The same goes for when you are coating wheels. Pay special attention around the valves and center caps. It is as easy as just lightly wiping them off with the Microfiber.

Make sure you level these areas in roughly 3 minutes, or else they can get tacky. If you find that you let 22PLE sit too long, simply apply a little more and re-level with a Microfiber Towel.

As always thanks for reading.

With the sharp rise in Coatings (ie Optimum Opti-Coat, 22ple, etc.) that require a properly prepped surface we have been receiving more questions about how you dilute isopropyl alcohol (aka IPA) correctly. One of the most popular bottles you can pick up contains a ratio of 70/30 (Alcohol to Distilled Water), which can make the math a bit challenging if you want to dilute it. While it is generally okay to use it at the 70/30 ratio, many detailers prefer to dilute it down to a 50/50 (Alcohol to Distilled Water) ratio for optimal results.  If you don’t want the boring details skip to the pictures and chart at the end of the article. For those who want to know the exact math behind the dilution we did our best to break it down very simply so please keep reading.

Using the following formula, .7 represents the 70% isopropyl alcohol you have and .5  represents the 50% we want to end up with.  Therefore our formula to determine the appropriate percentage of alcohol is:

.7x = .5 = .7143 or 71.43%

In conclusion x = 71.43 or 71.43%.  So no matter what size bottle you have fill 71.43% of it with the 70/30 mix of isopropyl alcohol and the rest with water.  If you want to determine the percentage of water just take the difference between the 71.43% and a full bottle which is represented by 1.

1 – .7143 = .2857 or 28.57%

Each bottle should then contain 28.57% distilled water no matter what size the bottle is.  Below are the DI Accessories Isopropyl Alcohol and 2 bottle sizes of our DI Accessories Trigger Spray Bottles (22oz, and 32oz). Each bottle is marked with a black line to where this 28.57% of each bottle is located.

You are now going to want to fill each bottle to this line with water. We used some blue food coloring to help highlight the water for picture purposes.

After filling the bottle with 28.57% distilled water fill the rest of the bottle with a 70/30 isopropyl alcohol.

You now have a bottle of 50/50 isopropyl alcohol mix to help remove old protection and ensure you have a clean surface!  You can also take a look at the table below for complete dilution information on multiple size bottles!

Hopefully this information was helpful in answering some of your questions about diluting isopropyl alcohol!

The Boar’s Hair Detailing Brush is a versatile cleaning tool that can help you clean your vehicle’s wheels, interior, trim pieces, joints, seams, seats, console, buttons, emblems and so much more. This high quality boar’s hair brush really has an endless amount of uses which makes it a must have tool for any detailer. It’s a gentle yet effective cleaning tool you can use on factory wheels and even the most delicate after market wheels. The extremely soft fibers allow it to break up contaminants in tough to reach areas while never scratching or marring the wheel. It works great in between spokes, around lug nuts, rivets, lips, etc. so you can safely clean even the most challenging areas. For the exterior trim you can now clean the emblem, grill, seams, vinyl trim, bumpers, etc. Some of these areas previously appeared impossible to clean but the Boar’s Hair Detailing Brush makes this possible. Last but not least use this brush all over the interior to remove dust from areas such as the vents, shifter knob, buttons, console, trim pieces, seats and so much more. It’s truly a very unique and high quality brush that can be used inside and outside of your vehicle for top notch detailing work. Pick one or more up today and you’ll be amazed at how helpful this tool is.

I started using the DI Boar’s Hair Detailing Brush a while back, when Detailed Image first started offering it on the website.  I was one of the first to try it out and I immediately liked the brush.  After a few upgrades, we are currently using the 3rd version of the brush.  The photo below shows the newest on the left and oldest on the right.

While it was a great tool, the original brush had some issues with the adhesive that held the bristles inside the handle base.  I believe I was one of the first people to have the brush fail during a detail job, as it basically came apart while I was cleaning wheels with it.  Granted, I did only use that brush on wheels, mainly tight areas like wheel bolts and brake calipers, so it did go through quite a bit of abuse.  However, I felt it still failed a bit too quickly for a brush of this caliber, so when I addressed my concerns, Greg and the DI team worked hard soon after that to upgrade the brush and make sure it would improve.

For the second version of the brush, along with getting the cooler black color , the adhesive was improved to withstand regular detailing use and stronger cleaning chemicals.  While the adhesive was a lot better and the brush much more durable, the issue still remained in the overall design.  With that, the Detailed Image team decided for a complete overhaul of the brush in order to make it one of the best boar’s hair brushes out there and they surely succeeded.  With a thicker handle, better base design to hold the bristles and a better adhesive, the brush is now just right.  It still has the soft but firm bristles and now it’s much more durable and appropriate for use all around the vehicle.  Also, there are two size options for the new brush, 1 inch and 1.25 inch.

While I still use it mainly for cleaning around the wheel area, it’s also great for brushing out interior crevices, door jambs and engine bays.  Greg Gellas offers a Quick Tip on the DI Boar’s Hair Detailing Brush.  I have found that using Greg’s tip for stiffening the bristles works great not only for the lug nut area, but also for getting residue around emblems and crumbs from around interior console areas.

All in all, the DI Boar’s Hair Detailing Brush is one of those must-have tools because it can be used for various tasks and does a great job each and every time.  Highly recommended!

Here’s another gorgeous Italian I detailed last year for a client who wanted the job done right.  Due to bad weather and somewhat of a time limit, I was unable to take as many photos as I would have liked, but I did manage a few good ones.

The car was in overall decent condition, but was not cleaned properly in a while and had quite a bit of swirling, nothing unusual for a black car.  While I didn’t get any photos of the wash process, here’s what the engine looked like before the work started…

After a proper cleaning, polishing and wax, the engine compartment cleaned up very well and the carbon fiber parts started showing some shine again…

For paint correction, I used 2-3 polishing stages with a few different pad and polish combinations.  Ferrari paint is normally fairly good to work with, so even though it was horribly swirled, it didn’t cause too many complications throughout the process.  Below area  few half and half photos showing the paint condition and how well it improved.  Overall, it was a major transformation and the photos will show just that.

Here is a photo taken after compounding stages were performed on the left side…

As you can see above, I could’ve left the paint alone after just the compounding stages and it would’ve still been a night and day difference compared to the before condition.  The photo below shows the paint on the left completed after a finish polishing stage.

The results were pretty much perfect aside from some random deeper scratches on various sections of the vehicle.  The below photo shows a half and half using only the garage fluorescent lighting.  Even with this non-direct lighting, you can easily tell how much the paint improved both in terms of swirlmark correction and overall depth/darkness.  The car was finally BLACK again!

The following few photos are some I took to show the condition of the paint before and after correction…

Finally, here are a few photos after correction was done.  It was pouring snow/rain outside when the detail was done, otherwise I would have had some really nice shots outside in the sun.  These will just have to do…

Well that’s all I have on this beauty.  The client enjoyed the clean car for a few months and then traded it in on a brand new Porsche 911, which I should be correcting sometime this year.  Needless to say, the car was easily the cleanest and best looking in the dealer showroom, for which my client actually received quite a few compliments .

Some of the products used in the detail:
Flex XC 3401 VRG
Porter Cable 7424XP Random Orbital Buffer
Meguiar’s DA Microfiber Cutting Disc Buffing Pads
Lake Country Orange Light Cutting Pad
Lake Country Hydro Tech Crimson Ultra Fine Finishing Pad
Meguiar’s Ultra-Cut Compound M105
Meguiar’s Ultra Finishing Polish M205
Menzerna Micro Polish SF 4500 (PO85RD)
Pinnacle Souveran Paste Wax

Thanks as always for reading and please feel free to leave any comments or questions below.

AAP Blog Post Of The Month!

Ivan Rajic of LUSTR Auto Detail (Chicago, IL) shows us his new car prep and paint correction skills on a beautiful 2011 Ferrari 458 Italia!

Detailing Industry News!

This past month Dodo Juice created the extremely limited edition (20 containers) of their Supernatural Hybrid Wax Creation Engine Edition. This wax was created to celebrate the two awards that the regular Supernatural Hybrid won at the Detailing World 2012 awards and all 20 containers sold out extremely fast. Supernatural Hybrid Wax has been created in conjunction with Austrian cyber-craftsman Thomas the ‘Creation Engine’ and iClean.at, Dodo Juice’s Austrian reseller.

The Supernatural Hybrid Creation Engine Edition is a unique aluminum and perspex LED-illuminated airtight wax container, housing approx. 110ml of Supernatural Hybrid wax. Access to the wax is via three hex bolts opened via a special Supernatural hex tool. There will be a refill facility (at additional cost) so that the container does not become redundant once the wax has been used. 10 containers were sold for $459.60 each, with a total of $1527.60 being donated by Dodo Juice Ltd to Sebastian’s Action Trust. The other 10 containers were also sold for $459.60 by iClean.at, with $158.03 donated to Stiftung Kindertraum. Take a look at the amazing pictures of this special wax below!

DetailingWorld.co.uk is a great source for some awesome detailing industry news. One that really caught my eye this past month is one of the Waxstock “Detailing World Top 16″ Show and Shine contest entries. OCDDetailer posts pictures of his newly detailed 2001 MG ZR 105 in an amazing blue color. This car is 12 years old and man does it look great! Check out his regular detailing treatments and photos!

Have you ever bought a Brinkmann light that broke quickly or had a faulty battery? Dodo Factory has a great post for all you handy men out there. Check out this cool way to transplant a new battery into this light on DetailingWorld.co.uk!

Check out who was voted the best Quick Detailer, Wax, Sealant, Polish, Wheels and Tires Product, Innovation Product, Shampoo, Accessory, and General Product in the complete winners breakdown of the Detailing World 2012 Product Awards!

New Detailed Image Products!

Check out some of the new products we added to our lineup this month, which includes the Rupes Polishers, RoboReel, and SM Arnold Speedy Surface Prep Pads!

The Rupes Polishers will help you achieve professional polishing results in far less time by safely and easily removing swirls, oxidation, ultra fine scratches, and more! It is powerful yet safe, making it perfect for not only experienced detailers, but beginning detailers as well. Check out the available two sizes today: LHR 15ES (5.5″ Pads) and the LHR 21ES (6.5″ Pads).

The RoboReel makes storing your power cords easier then ever before! Carry the RoboReel Portable anywhere, or use the ceiling mount version to keep your power cord rolled up and out of the way at all times.

The SM Arnold Speedy Surface Prep Pads will use the same technology as the popular NanoSkin AutoScrub Pads. Using these pads will allow you to safely remove paint over spray, light water marks, tree sap, rail dust, road grime and other extra stubborn surface contaminants safely and easily. Simply spray the surface with a copious amount of lube and remove this contamination with ease! You can use these pads via a random orbital or dual action buffer (do not use with a rotary) at a low speed (1-2), or by hand with the DI Accessories Hand Strap. Will these products help replace the clay bar completely? Share your thoughts with us!

Also, do not forget to check out the complete list our our New Products!

Detailed Image News!

During January we ran a Griot’s Buffer Give Away on our Facebook page and this month we are running a Maximum Microfiber Package give away.

To enter this contest simply visit our Facebook page and:

• Like the Maximum Microfiber Package post.

• Share the Maximum Microfiber Package post.

AND

• Comment on the Maximum Microfiber Package post!

Like,Comment, AND Share before the March 4th to be entered into the contest. Winner will be randomly selected and contacted on March 5th!

Also, stay tuned to our Facebook for another contest give away related to the NCAA March Madness Mens Basketball Tournament!

Photo Of The Month!

Kendo89 had a great post on DetailingWorld.co.uk about a wax that he made himself! Check out the amazing beading photo of this wax below!

Automotive Industry News!

The Chicago Auto Show went on from February 7th-18th and according to the Chicago Tribune, hybrid and electric models are the ones drawing the most interest.

Ferrari confirmed on Monday that the Enzo-successor (F70 F150) will make its world debut at the Geneva motor show in March. Check out the full announcement at Autoweek.com

Ever pay $500 to fill up your car? Well Nick Barnett does, check out this article to see his fully custom ride!

The Detroit Auto Show was packed with some really cleaver car features, such as the Ford Atlas Concepts active wheel shutters. Check out the video of this feature and more in this article on PopularMechanics.com!

Want to know how fast the 903bhp McLaren P1 supercar will go and cost? Find out on TopGear.com!

Upcoming Events!

The 2013 Geneva Auto Show runs from March 5th to March 17th. This show is expected to attract a range of cars (production and concept), such as the Ferrari Enzo replacement and the new Corvette convertible. Check out Autoweek’s complete coverage at autoweek.com/geneva-auto-show.

Thanks for reading and if you like this article check out the Detailing Enthusiasts Monthly January Edition!

A lot of us have grown to love the Nanoskin Autoscrub system. It is a time saver when decontaminating the paint. In my article on the Nanoskin Foam Pads I discussed the benefits of the system, and how to properly use them.

I love the pads for vans and larger vehicles, but for smaller cars I found myself always using the pads by hand. Why by hand?! For me, I like to be able to feel and hear the contamination on the paint. Sound is a big thing, the tone of the pad being moved across the surface changes when the contaminates are removed, when using a polisher this isn’t something you can hear over the machine.

Because of the above reasons, my new go to is the Nanoskin Wash Mitt. I am able to use my hand inside the mitt to better feel and hear contamination being removed. My procedure for using the wash mitt is to start with a standard 2 bucket wash method. I like to remove any particles that may be on the surface. Although, it can be used without the wash, I err on the side of safety. After my wash, I will fill up a new bucket with my CG Citrus Wash and Clear, and dip my Mitt. I will then gently go over the surface in small back and forth motions, decontaminating a panel at a time. After each panel, the mitt is rinsed the the bucket. This allows more soap to be used ensuring there is not marring to the surface.

Be very gentle on hard body lines and edges. Too much pressure and the polymer on the Mitt can transfer to the painted surface.  Also, don’t use any of the Nanoskin products around solvents like Tarminator, these products will cause the polymer on the Mitt to “melt” or soften them to the point that the Mitt could be useless.

As always thanks for reading!

Every now and then some people will ask me what it takes, how long, what it should look like, etc. when it comes to paint correction work. Many factors apply, but the results from each step should have a relatively uniform look.

What I mean by that is after compounding, the paint should look a certain way – HAZY. After polishing, then paint should not have any haze to it at all, and be left with zero straight-line scratches, swirl marks, or faded paint. Below is an example of what I mean:

Starting condition of the paint after washing and claying the paint:

This is what the paint should look like after compounding away all the defects. Now, different compounds will yield different results based on a few factors such as color and hardness, but the general look is this:

This is what the paint should look like after polishing the paint after compounding it. It’s free of defects such as scratches and swirl marks, and is giving off a high gloss and luster.

So from start to finish the process is the following:

• Wash to remove loose dirt
• Clay to remove bonded dirt
• Compound to remove deeper scratches and defects
• Polish to remove compound haze and restore gloss
• Clean paint
• Protect paint

For a while now, Rejex Sealant has been a very well kept secret in the detail world, but is slowly coming to light.  There are numerous sealants and waxes on the market today, which makes it very hard to choose which is “the right one for me”.  Durability, looks and ease of use all come into play when searching for the best sealant, but ultimately it comes down to simply making the choice between a few great candidates.  Most products out there now perform very well and provide good looks with competitive durability, so choosing one has become even harder.

Rejex is a highly regarded sealant that provides an extremely thin yet durable coating to your vehicle. It applies with ease so you can get that amazing shine in little to no time. It enhances all paint colors so they look vibrant and it protects the paint for months to come. This polymer based anti-stick coating rejects contaminants, industrial fall out, road grime, brake dust, and much more so your paint stays cleaner longer. Don’t limit this sealant to just your car’s paint and clear coat, it can also be used on the wheels, glass, smooth and coated trim, RV’s, boats, and many other places. The protection should last at least 3 – 6 months with just one coating. Apply a second coating for added protection and gloss, but wait at least 8 hours in between coats. When you are done you’ll love the way the paint looks, so try the Rejex Paint Sealant.

The Rejex Sealant is surely one of those “work horse” type products that comes in handy for many different situations.  While the look of it is a bit lacking compared to one of my favorite sealants available right now, Blackfire Wet Diamond, Rejex Sealant definitely holds its own and is just as easy to apply and remove.  Looks wise, it provides a nice glossy look as most good sealants do, but its main attributes are great durability for a great price.  Rejex will last at least a few months and easily upwards of 4-5 months in good conditions, such as rarely seeing too much sun and rain and getting regular but mild washing.  Since I prefer to use a few other products for paint, I mainly use Rejex Sealant for areas such as wheels, brake calipers and some chrome trim surfaces.  Many times I have used it as paint protection on work vehicles where clients were looking for cheap protection and it has performed well every time.  Overall, I see this sealant as a duct tape or WD40 of the detailing world … it’s very cheap for the performance it provides in terms of looks and durability, but it can also be used for many different applications around the car.  Great product to have and highly recommended.

How to use:

Since I typically use this sealant on wheels and such, I usually apply it by hand with a yellow foam applicator pad.  However, I have applied it many times to paint with a Porter Cable 7424XP or Griot’s Garage Random Orbital at slow speeds and a Lake Country Blue finishing pad with no issues at all.  For wheels, I start with a couple drops on the applicator and that usually gets me through half a wheel or so, depending on the size and shape.  Once the pad gets saturated enough, usually after a wheel or so, typically you can get away with 2-3 drops per wheels for a light application.  Obviously if wheels are pulled off for wheel detailing and then sealed more sealant will be required per wheel.

This is roughly how much I apply to the applicator pad each time.  More than that normally over-saturates the pad too quickly…

Only a light application is necessary…

Normally I leave it to cure for 10-20 minutes…

Then simply wipe off with a microfiber towel, turning frequently…

Rejex Sealant comes off easily and leaves a nice, shiny surface…

As I said above, great product and a must have for me, so I highly recommend it for both enthusiasts and detailers.

As the Warehouse Manager here at Detailed Image I have my hands on high quality detailing products every day, whether it’s unloading palettes, checking orders, pulling orders or inspecting our new shipments for quality control.  I consider myself fortunate enough to be somewhat knowledgeable about every product we sell through my daily work and my personal detailing outside the office.  Working with these products on a regular basis I can tell you first hand how pleasant it is to sample the fragrances with some of these uniquely scented products we carry. At the office we often debate what scents are best and I thought it would be great to share some of my thoughts on my personal favorites after years of working with them all.  I realize scent does not really impact performance but it sure doesn’t hurt to have a pleasant aroma to aid you during your detailing process.

I’ll start with one of our more popular products, the Natty’s Red Paste Wax. This product literally brings me back to the “dug out”, it smells exactly the way Strawberry Big League Chew would taste. We have been selling this product for years and the consistency has been maintained and that sweet strawberry scent has stayed throughout the years.

One product in particular that really stands out to me is the Chemical Guys Bare Bones, this product really smells way too good for something that is meant to be used on your undercarriage! This product screams grape. More specifically it’s smell resembles a Grape Blow Pop or a Grape Slush Puppy.

A product that really has a unique scent that has grown on me is Chemical Guys Lava Wax. Lava Wax’s scent is strong but not at all overwhelming. It resembles a ripe orange citrus scent when you first take a whiff but it also has a faint clean minty scent that is hard to place when you first come into contact with the product. The retro container is cool, the texture is more whipped, the product works great and the scent is amazing, what is not to like?

We carry several brands at Detailed Image but only one brand in particular stands out as far as going the extra mile to make sure that almost every product they put out has a completely unique look and scent. Dodo Juice has shown they know how to cater to this specific group of our customers in more ways than one by putting out this unique line of detailing supplies and waxes, so much so that we have this product line imported all the way from the UK! My favorite wax scent is most likely Banana Armour, this wax in particular is not overpowering but still offers a clean subtle banana scent that I would compare to banana Runts. My overall favorite smelling Dodo Juice product would have to be Sour Power Gloss Enhancing Shampoo. Sour Power to me smells like the first bite I take out of a Granny Smith Apple, it’s amazing how they were able to capture that fresh from an orchard scent. Again I love the Dodo Juice products and I am excited to see what they come out with next.

Not every product has to have a scent that resembles something that you want to eat in order for it to be considered pleasant or even a personal favorite of mine. One product that is a perfect example of that for me is Einszett’s Cockpit Premium, every time I use this product it not only does an amazing job but it leaves a very clean smelling residue that really lasts for days. It’s not strong enough to overpower an air freshener but it’s powerful enough to leave a lasting fresh scent in your vehicle that will remind you and everyone else who enters it just how clean it really is. Taking a big whiff directly from the bottle or using too much product is not ideal but during regular detail use I’ve really enjoyed it.

Just recently at Detailed Image we began to carry the Little Trees! Naturally if I am sharing my favorite scents it would be very tough to leave these famous trees off the list. I think every tree has a very distinguishing scent but my personal favorite is the Wild Cherry. The Black Ice and New Car Scent are both honorable mentions but to me the Wild Cherry takes the cake.

Thank you for taking the time to read my thoughts on some of the best smelling products available in the detailing industry. I hope you gained some food for thought that may have some impact on your next purchase at Detailed Image.

Charlie – Warehouse Manager

We here at Detailed Image wanted to wish everyone a happy Valentines Day. What better way to do so then with 14  pictures of red hot cars and 14 more pictures of red hot girls!

Enjoy!